Frame for screens and the like



March 6, 1934. c. R. PARRlsH l 1,950,062

FRAME FOR SCREENS AND THE LIKE Filed April 13, 1933 2'. y2 @2y-a Patented Mar. 6, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT'I FFCE 4 Ciaims.

The invention relates to certain improvements in screens for doors, windows and similar structures involving a jointed frame and has for its object the provision of special means for strengthening the joints between the frame members and for securing the mesh fabric or other paneling in the frame.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:-

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary front elevation of a screen door, involving the improvements.

Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevation, broken away in part, of the mid portion of the door.

Fig. 4. is a section on line 4--4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 1, showing a modification.

Fig. 6 is a section on line 6 6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a front elevation of the door.

Referring to the drawing, 1, lindicates the stiles or upright members of the frame for the window or door screen, which stiles are connected by rails or horizontal members 2, at the top and bottom, and by intermediate rails 3, when the screen is of such size to require cross bracing at its mid section. The rails and stiles constituting the frame proper are usually connected by miter joints, which, as a rule, are unstable, unless reinforced by some form of bracket or connecting device and it is the purpose of the present invention to provide a novel type of bracket or brace that will be effective in uniting the elements of the frame into a rigid structure that will resist twisting and sagging and that will retain its proper shape under normal conditions of use. To enable the application of the fittings, constituting the joint reinforcing means, the inner edges of the rails and stiles are provided with rabbets 5, which are preferably beveled or inclined inwardly on their bottoms to form a seat for the edges of the mesh fabric lling and to receive the filling or molding strips by means of which the paneling is secured in position.

At each corner of the frame and overlying the joint between the rail and stile is a special form of bracket comprising a face plate 10, angularly disposed anges 1l, 11 normal to the face plate and which engage the back walls of the rabbets, angularly disposed flanges 12 engaging the bottoms of the rabbets, and angularly disposed anges 13 overlying the inner edges of the rail and stile, as more particularly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The anges 12 are provided with slots 14 adapted to permit the passage of nails or other securing devices for attaching the mesh fabric and the molding to the frame at the corners. The flanges 13 are also provided with nail holes 17 and the base plate 10 is also perforated at various points 16 to receive nails or screws by means of which the bracket is firmly attached to the abutting ends of the rail and stile. Under certain circumstances, it may be found desirable to further reinforce the joint which is effected by means of a strap 20 in the form of a metal plate, which is attached to the abutting ends of the rail and stile and to the base plate 10 of the bracket by means of bolts, such as 21.

When the structure requires the application of a mid rail, such as 3, the latter is cut to a length to span the distance between the stiles and is secured in position by a fitting 30 having a marginal fiange 31 secured to the face of the rail by nails or screws and anges 32 and 33, which overlie the faces of the rabbet and the abutting ends of the mid rail 3, `as more particularly illustrated in Figs. 3 and Il. When the rabbe-ts and the Stiles are formed with inclined bottoms, the portion of the ilange 33 which occupies the rabbet is similarly inclined and the portion of the flange beyond the incline is flat and forms a flush joint with the top of the cross rail, which latter is of a thickness equal to the reduced inner edge of the stile. The flange 33 is provided with slots 35 to permit the passage of nails or screws b-y means of which the tting is attached to the cross rail and to the stile. The mesh fabric 25 is stretched in the frame, with its marginal edges occupying the rabbets in the rails and Stiles, said edges being secured by means of molding or ller strips 19, which occupy the rabbets, which, when the latter are provided with the inclined bottoms, have complementary inclined faces, which, when the molding strips are nailed into position in the rabbets tend to stretch the mesh fabric, so that the latter will be maintained taut throughout its area. A finishing strip 3 overlies the mid rail 3 and serves to hold the mesh fabric taut of the mid section of the screen, said finishing strip being secured to the mid rail by nails or screws.

In the construction of lighter frames, such as are usually employed in window screens, which consist of relatively narrow and thin rails and stiles, sufficient strength may be imparted to the corner joints by the bracket or fitting illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, which is, in all respects, similar to that shown in the preceding figures, except that the face plate 10 is omitted. Each fitting comprises angularly disposed flanges 11', 11 engaging the side walls of the rabbets and rails and Stiles, inclined base fianges l2', 12 overlying the inclined bottom of the rabbets and angularly disposed anges 13', 13', which engage the inner faces of the rails and stiles. These brackets are provided with the same arrangement and disposition of slots and holes to permit the passage of nails or screws to secure the bracket to the portions of the rails and stiles Which are engaged by the various flanges of the bracket.

What I claim is:

l. A frame for screens and the like, comprising rails and stiles having rabbets on the inner edges of one face, corner brackets each comprising angular sections overlying the bottoms of the rabbets and having edge flanges engaging the side Walls of the rabbets and the inner edges of the rails and Stiles, said flanges having openings therein to receive fastening means, and ller strips fitting the rabbets.

2. A frame as described in claim 1, in Which the rabbets have inwardly beveled bottoms, and the ller strips are formed with complementary beveled faces.

3. A frame as described in claim 1, in which the corner brackets are each provided with a plate section overlying the corresponding corner of the frame and having perforations to receivev fastening means.

4. A frame as described in claim 1 having an intermediate rail, brackets securing the same to the stiles, each bracket including a ange to engage the face of the stile, a body portion engaging the rabbet and the rail end, and a cover strip for said intermediate rail.

CHARLES R. PARRISH. 

